General Provisions

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart A
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 719.1 What is the purpose of this part?

This part facilitates management of retained legal counsel and contractor legal costs, including litigation and legal matter costs. It requires the contractor to develop a Legal Management Plan, to document the analysis used to decide when to utilize outside counsel, and to document what law firm or individual attorney will be engaged as outside counsel. This part also requires the contractor to document the terms of the engagement with retained legal counsel. Payment of Department-retained law firm invoices and reimbursement of contractor legal costs under covered contracts are subject to compliance with this part.

10 C.F.R. § 719.2 What are the definitions of terms used in this part?

For purposes of this part: Alternative dispute resolution includes, but is not limited to, processes such as mediation, neutral evaluation, mini-trials and arbitration. Contractor means any person or entity with whom the Department contracts for the acquisition of goods or services. Covered contracts means those contracts described in § 719.3 of this part. Days means calendar days. Department means the Department of Energy (DOE), including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Department Counsel means the attorney in the DOE or NNSA field office, or Headquarters office, designated as the contracting officer's representative and point of contact for a contractor or for Department retained legal counsel, for purposes of this part. General Counsel means the DOE General Counsel for DOE legal matters and the NNSA General Counsel for NNSA legal matters. Legal costs means, but is not limited to, administrative expenses associated with the provision of legal services by retained legal counsel; the costs of legal services provided by retained legal counsel; the costs of the services, if the services are procured in connection with a legal matter, of accountants, consultants, experts or others retained by the contractor or by retained legal counsel; and any similar costs incurred by retained legal counsel or in connection with the services of retained legal counsel. Legal Management Plan means a document required by subpart B of this part describing the contractor's practices for managing legal costs and legal matters for which it procures the services of retained legal counsel. Litigation means a proceeding arising under or related to a contract between the contractor and the Department to which the contractor is a party in a State, tribal, territorial, foreign, or federal court or before an administrative body or an arbitrator. Retained legal counsel means a licensed attorney working in the private sector who is retained by a contractor or the Department to provide legal services. Retrospective insurance means any insurance policy under which the premium is not fixed but is subject to adjustments to reimburse the insurance carrier for actual losses incurred or paid (e.g. claims, settlements, damages, and legal costs). Retrospective insurance includes service-type insurance policies as described in 48 CFR 928.370. Settlement agreement means a written agreement between a contractor and one or more parties pursuant to which one or more parties waives the right to pursue a legal claim in exchange for something of value. Significant matters means legal matters involving significant issues as determined by Department Counsel and identified to a contractor in writing, and any legal matters where the amount of any legal costs, over the life of the matter, is expected to exceed $100,000. Staffing and Resource Plan means a statement prepared in accordance with subpart B of this part by retained legal counsel that describes the method for managing a Significant Matter in litigation.

10 C.F.R. § 719.3 What contracts are covered by this part?

(a) Unless excluded under § 719.5, this part covers the following three categories of contracts: (1) All management and operating contracts; (2) Non-management and operating cost reimbursement contracts exceeding $100,000,000; and (3) Non-management and operating contracts exceeding $100,000,000 that include cost reimbursable elements exceeding $10,000,000 (e.g., contracts with both fixed-price and cost-reimbursable line items where the cost-reimbursable line items exceed $10,000,000 or time and materials contracts where the materials portions exceed $10,000,000). (b) This part also covers contracts otherwise not covered by paragraph (a) of this section but which contain a clause requiring compliance with this part. (c) This part also covers any contract the Department awards directly to retained legal counsel exceeding $100,000.

10 C.F.R. § 719.4 Are law firms that are retained by contract by the Department covered by this part?

Legal counsel retained under fixed rate or other type of contract or other agreement by the Department to provide legal services must comply with the following if the legal costs over the life of the matter for which counsel has been retained are expected by the Department to exceed $100,000 and retained legal counsel are so notified by the Department: (a) Requirements related to Staffing and Resource Plans in subpart B of this part; (b) Cost guidelines in subpart E of this part; and (c) Engagement letter requirements in subpart C of this part if the retained legal counsel subcontracts legal work valued at $25,000 or more (e.g., a law firm retained by the Department subcontracts with another law firm to provide $26,000 in discovery-related legal work).

10 C.F.R. § 719.5 What contracts are not covered by this part?

This part does not cover any contract under which the Department is not responsible for directly reimbursing the contractor for legal costs, such as fixed price contracts.

10 C.F.R. § 719.6 Are there any types of legal matters not included in the coverage of this part?

Legal matters not covered by this part include: (a) Matters handled by counsel retained by an insurance carrier, except under retrospective insurance in accordance with § 719.45; (b) Routine intellectual property law support services; and (c) Routine workers and unemployment compensation matters.

10 C.F.R. § 719.7 Is there a procedure for exceptions or deviations from this part?

(a) Requests for exceptions or deviations from this part must be made in writing to Department Counsel and approved by the General Counsel. If an alternate procedure is proposed for compliance with an individual requirement in this part, that procedure must be included in the written request by the contractor. The General Counsel or his/her delegee shall provide a written response to such requests; however the response shall not require a justification of the Department's exercise of its discretion. (b) The General Counsel may authorize exceptions or deviations requested under paragraph (a) of this section. The General Counsel may also establish exceptions to this part based on current field office and contractor practices that satisfy the purpose of these requirements. (c) Exceptions to this part that are also a deviation from the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) cost principles (see subpart D of this part) must be approved in accordance with applicable DOE procurement policy. See, e.g., DOE Acquisition Guide chapter 1.1, requiring approval by the Senior Procurement Executive of DOE or NNSA as applicable. In any event, the written request from a contractor for a deviation from a cost principle relating to this part must be submitted to the contracting officer, with a copy provided to Department Counsel.

10 C.F.R. § 719.8 Does the provision of protected documents from the contractor to the Department constitute a waiver of privilege?

Contractors are required to provide detailed information about third-party claims and litigation to the Department. The Department and its contractors typically share common legal and strategic interests relating to pending or threatened litigation. The common interest between the parties is primarily rooted in the fact that the Department reimburses contractors for allowable costs incurred when litigation is threatened or initiated against contractors. However, other sources of the common interest between the Department and its contractors may include, but are not limited to, an interest in completion of the agency's important mission work and an interest in safe and efficient operation of the Department's facilities. To the extent documents associated with compliance with this part (e.g., Staffing and Resource Plans, invoices, engagement letters, settlement authority requests, and draft pleadings) are protected from disclosure to third parties because the items constitute attorney work product and/or involve attorney client communications, the contractor's provision of these items to the Department does not constitute a waiver of privilege. As long as the Department and the contractor share a common interest in the outcome of legal matters, this mutual legal interest permits the parties to share privileged material without waiving any applicable privilege.

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